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Rezone Downtown Poughkeepsie Project

About the Project

What is the Poughkeepsie Innovation District?

An innovation district is a densely populated urban neighborhood that stimulates jobs and local business development by bringing together residents, community organizations, and anchor institutions into new creative partnerships. The City of Poughkeepsie is blessed with a historic Main Street, excellent academic institutions, strong local leadership, and vibrant diverse community. The Poughkeepsie Innovation District will build upon all these assets, converting underutilized downtown land into a new hub for applied design, light industry, maker spaces, and community arts programming.

Why do we need to change the zoning code?

Innovation districts thrive in mixed use environments where people spontaneously meet each other in collaborative workspaces, educational centers, restaurant and cafes, living rooms, and on the sidewalk. The city’s current zoning code allows for mixed use but the regulations fall short of inspiring the type of transit and pedestrian development that promotes networking and ensures a high concentration of commercial and cultural activity. Moreover, much of Poughkeepsie’s downtown is underutilized, vacant, or neglected. In order to support the housing needs of existing and future residents while also creating a bustling well-connected business environment, the City has undertaken a detailed reexamination of the current land use regulations and proposed ways of revising them to support an innovation district.

What regulatory changes are under consideration?

Today

Proposed

Permitted Land Uses

Allows a variety of retail businesses, professional offices, personal services, entertainment and cultural establishments and related activities, such as parking and pedestrian spaces

Permits auto-oriented uses and drive-through uses

Permits a mix of retail, professional offices, and cultural establishments